Who are the Joneses? is a blog that goes against the typical American ideal that more is better. Reducing clutter, buying less, and saving money (gasp!) is what the cool kids do.

Friday, November 21, 2008

Budget vs. Spending Plan: Does changing a few words make a difference?

Hmm. This is a really informative article from the Wall Street Journal about making a spending plan. (Wow, what do you know, it's entitled How to Make a Spending Plan.) The article starts off stating that budget is one of the most hated words in the financial vocabulary and it's on the same par with the hatred of the word diet. Now, do I agree that by substituting the word budget with the words spending plan make me feel any better? Well, as good as I feel when you say, "I'm going on a lifestyle change." When we all really know you mean diet.

I guess spending plan does sound better than the word budget, just like the word meat sounds a lot better than flesh.

"What are you having for dinner tonight?"

"Why, we're cooking up a big plate of chicken flesh tonight, want to come over for dinner?"

In any event, I don't know why we get caught up on words so much when they all mean the same thing; if it gets one person to spend less or if they feel more confident in their choices by not drifting off of their spending plan, well great.

Anyway, don't know why I'm hooked on wordplay today. Maybe because it's Friday and I have to work tomorrow for three hours, or maybe because my spending plan was a little off last night because of some pancakes...